Solar panels, also referred to as photovoltaic modules, are commonly used for collecting solar energy from natural sunlight in both commercial and residential applications. A solar panel is generally comprised of a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected together in a panel-like configuration, and housed within a panel frame. Solar panels may be grouped into an array consisting of hundreds or even thousands of solar panels for providing increased energy collection at a given installation site. The solar panels are generally mounted to and supported by a support system that elevates the solar panels above a base surface, such as a building rooftop or a ground surface, and that orients the solar panels at a desired angle relative to the base surface. As such, various solar panel support systems for roof mount and ground mount applications have been developed.
Traditional solar panel support systems for ground mount applications generally include one or more support devices each configured to support one or more solar panels above the ground surface. Such support devices of known support systems are anchored to the ground surface in generally one of several ways: (i) piercing the ground surface with one or more anchor elements that secure the support device to the ground; (ii) placing modular ballast on or in a cavity of the support device to adequately weigh down the support device for firm support on the ground, or (iii) providing the support device with a base portion having an integrated ballast of sufficient mass to adequately weigh down the support device to sufficiently secure it in place on the ground.
Each of the above described methods and associated support devices are deficient in various respects. With regard to the first method, in some ground mount applications piercing the ground surface may be undesirable, unfeasible, or otherwise inadequate for anchoring a support device due to environmental conditions, for example. With regard to the second method, modular ballast undesirably adds structural complexity and time-consuming steps to the installation and maintenance of a ground mount system. With regard to the third method, such support devices are traditionally in the form of large rectangular blocks to which various additional structural components, such as vertical posts, must be mounted in order to support the solar panels in a suitable orientation relative to the ground surface. Such a configuration yields yet another support structure of undesirable complexity.
Accordingly, there is a need for improvements to known solar panel support systems to address deficiencies such as those outlined above.